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How can I start Hoop Dancing?

If you are brand new to hoop dancing then you have come to the right place! There are many different journeys into the hoop and each hooper will have a unique and personal experience with hooping. If you've never seen hoop dancing in action before I'd recommend checking out some of the video from the Hoop City Video Gallery and then return to this page to find out more about how you can join this revolution!

Hooping FAQs

What is Hooping?
Where did this style of hooping come from?
What's size hoop do I need?

Are bruises normal after hooping?
Where can I buy a hoop?
How do I fly and travel with my hoop?
How do I make a hoop?
How do I Hula Hoop?
Where can I learn hoop dancing?
What should I wear?
What are the benefits of hooping?
Will hooping help me lose weight?
How else can I get inside the hoop?

Also see:
The Hooper's Manifesto
The Resurgence of Hooping
The Hooping Dictionary

Hooping FAQs Answers

What is Hooping?
Hooping is an emerging form of dance that uses larger hoops then the popular Wham-O kid toy, the hula hoop. Hooping is also often referred to as Hoop Dancing. This movement is growing in popularity by incredible numbers as people pick up the hoop for all kinds of different reasons. Some love it for the childlike memories that is relives, others enjoy the physical connection and enjoy the health and exercise benefits of the hoop. Regardless of what brings you into the hoop, we can all agree that hooping is a fun filled activity that will leave you smiling. The hoop itself has a long history, which pre-dates the 1950s hula hooping fad by several thousand years but the use of larger hoops and the fusion with dance is dated around the early 90's.

Where did this style of hooping come from?
Many veteran hoopers attribute the band The String Cheese Incident to the resurgence of hula hooping. The band was known for throwing larger, adult-sized hula hoops into the crowd during their shows to encourage guests to dance and move to the music. One woman in particular is credited as the mother of contemporary hoop dance. Anah "Hoopalicious" Reichenbach has been hoop dancing for well over a decade. She was one of the first ever professional hoop dancers as we know them today. Anah has spoken of some of her first years as a hooper and that for a long time people would just hoop on the waist and integrate dancing. Over the past decade hooping has seen a tremendous growth in popularity and has developed into a dance with a constantly growing variety of new moves.

Below is a copy of Anah's first hoop demo. Watch closely to see how freely and comfortably she dances within the hoop. This video also includes footage of Rayna from Hoopnotica.

What size hoop do I need?
In order to learn Hoop Dancing you need an adult size hula hoop. Beginners should start with a hoop that is around 42 inches or more in diameter. The larger diameter make the hoop rotate slower and allows more time for you to react and respond when learning new tricks. Using a kids size hula hoop will make learning on body core hooping INCREDIBLY difficult. To measure what size of hoop might work for you, measure the height somewhere between your belly button and your rib cage. If you carry extra weight in your mid section you may want to add extra inches to the size of your hoop. Buying from someone locally will allow you to test out several sizes or making your own allows you to make a range of sizes to find the one that's comfortable for you.  

Are bruises normal after hooping?
Yes. Bruising is very common for beginners. This can be for several reasons, one is that you may have a large and heavy hoop to help your learn to hoop. Overtime you'll likely progress to a smaller and lighter hoop which will then cause less bruising. Another reason for bruises has to do with experience. When first learning it is common for hoopers to make mistakes, move awkwardly and cause the hoop to move aggressively instead of smoothly across the body. As you improve your flow you'll gain control and the hoop with run smoothly reducing bruising dramatically.

Where can I buy a hoop?
Specially made hoops can be purchased through the Hoop City Marketplace that includes items handmade by Hoop City Citizens. There are also a lot of retailers who sell hoops online, doing a quick Google search will pull up a lot of results.

How do I fly and travel with my hoop?
Check out our article on Traveling and Flying with your Hoops

How do I make a hoop?
If you'd like to make you're own hoop, check out our tutorial page on how to make a hula hoop.

How do I Hula Hoop?
Some of us haven't Hula Hooped since we were children and it may not be as easy to remember as riding a bike. Go ahead and put one foot in front of the other, standing with your feet shoulder width apart. Begin by holding the hoop against your back at your waist, pull the hoop to one side and then give it a good even push all the way across your front. Keeping the hula hoop at your waist is not about rotating your hips in a circle but is more about shifting your weight from foot to foot. Sometimes even choosing a "leading" hip can help, as you pop that hip slightly forward every time the hoop comes around. If the hoop starts to drop, bring your feet together and begin rotating your pelvic area. Bend your knees and lower yourself, speeding up and rotating to scoop the hoop back up to your waist.

Where can I learn hoop dancing?
Once you have a hoop you'll need to find the best way for you to learn how to use your hoop. Everyone learns differently and there are lots of different ways to learn hooping. Some people teach themselves, some people buys DVDs and some take classes to get them started. If your'e interested in learning hooping from an instructor check out Hoop City's online hooping classes. The online classes are similar to a DVD with pre-recorded lessons but instead you can view streaming videos online, download and post questions directly to the instructor. Also consider searching the Hooping Instructor Directory to find a hoop instructor near you or search for a local class.

What should I wear?
Wear clothing that is comfortable and stretchy so you can move freely without being constricted. Natural fibers can be better because they are less likely to be slippery. Wearing pants or tops that are silky or smooth will cause the hoop to slip off your body easier so try wearing natural clothing that has some grip to it. As well wearing sleeveless shirts can be helpful when learning moves like chest hooping. If you have an empty house for the afternoon we recommend hooping in the buff, at least once. Not only does it feel great to move freely but your hoop will stick to bare skin better than anything else. Just remember to close the blinds. ; )

What are the benefits of hooping?
There are all kinds of physical and emotional benefits to hoop dancing. Hooping can hel build core strength, tone your body and works as a great cardiovascular activity. The best thing of all is that hoop dancing is a low impact exercise that can be done by people of all ages. Many experience hoopers will admit that hooping works as a means of meditation, to help calm the mind and forget about the day's stress. Hoop dancing can open up the body to new ways of movement and encourage us to dance our own dance.

Will hooping help me lose weight?
Many hoopers have experienced changes in their bodies due to hoop dance. With daily practice, a balanced diet and with an uptempo hooping workout, hoopers can expect to see the benefits of adding hoop dance to their daily physical activity.

How else can I get inside
the hoop?
Another way to get more involved with the hooping community is to start a local hoop jam to connect with other hoopers in your area OR to make some of your friends into hoopers so you can all enjoy the journey together. The most important thing to remember about hooping is that it can be so much more than just a fun activity. It can change your life, it can change your body and it can teach you how to be the person you want to be. It isn't just about learning tricks or being the best, hoop dance is an opportunity to connect with your body and connect with others in the community. Consider searching Hoop City
Members to find a hooper near you.

Do you have a question about hooping?
Ask below to have it added to the FAQs.